Paper production 4.0 - Paper producer relies on Siemens expertise for security concept and new production line

Paper maker Papierfabrik August Koehler SE (Koehler) is well on the way to becoming a digital enterprise. Its journey towards digital transformation has been supported by Siemens security concepts for the comprehensive protection of its plants and systems. Koehler has now also invested in the launch of a new “Flexible Packaging” business division which will focus on the production of paper-based, flexible and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions. Koehler decided to bring Siemens on board again to provide the power supply, drive and process control technology for its new venture. The modern solutions used have enabled the efficient, future-proof operation of a total of four paper machines and three coaters at Koehler’s Kehl mill.

As part of a series of security measures, Siemens initially drew up a concrete analysis of the current situation as the basis for a security concept designed to improve the mill’s overall security level. This provided Koehler with a clear, impartial and comprehensive picture of its digitalization and security status maturity level. The experts from Siemens then visited the site to assist Koehler with uninterrupted cyber security implementation. The solutions implemented encompassed expansion and segmentation of the company’s networks, alongside perimeter protection of its paper mills including automation firewalls.

Sustainable packaging

One aspect of Koehler’s new “Flexible Packaging” business division is a project by the name of “Green+”, which places the focus firmly on sustainability and waste prevention. With its Flex Pack portfolio, Koehler intends to offer alternative packaging systems using renewable raw materials. Integral to the project are a new paper machine with Yankee cylinder for packaging production, and an offline coater for further processing. The production capacity is planned to reach around 100,000 tons a year.

Comprehensive solution

The power supply to the machine is provided by 53-panel NXAir and 24-panel Sivacon S8 systems. The medium-voltage system is equipped with 800A and 1250A Sion circuit breakers and configured with a 2500A (ampere) busbar trunking system, providing a rated short-time withstand current of 25 kiloamperes per second. The machine is protected by devices from the Siprotec 5 series. The paper machine and offline coater and the two-drum winder involve extensive drive technology : A total of 67 drives for the paper machine with a total output of 8.8 megawatts, 162 drives for the coating machine with 5.5 megawatts, and seven drives for the slitter winder with 0.3 megawatts were installed from the Sinamics and Simotics portfolio. The Simatic PCS 7 with Sivaas visualization system is used for process control, and the total engineering scope encompasses around 5,000 process circuits.

Ideally fixed for the future

With the assurance of an ingeniously devised security concept and state-of-the-art power supply, drive and control technology, Koehler is ideally fixed to pursue its course towards Industrie 4.0 and to achieve sustainable, resource-saving manufacture of its packaging products.